1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hollow absorbent roll for use with an aspirator and, more particularly, to an elongate, generally cylindrical, hollow cotton roll for solving aspiration problems in medicine and dentistry in surgical and irrigation procedures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of dentistry, it is known that mucous and solid debris accumulate within the mouth of a patient during various procedures. Because it is both a nuisance and time-consuming to terminate the dental procedure while the patient himself expels the mucous and solid debris, it is common for dentists to use a variety of methods to absorb and/or remove these substances. That is, it is common to use strips or rolls of cotton or other absorbent materials or sponges, which rolls or sponges are placed in the patient's mouth during the procedure. However, these rolls and sponges must be frequently changed.
Alternatively, or in addition to the cotton rolls and sponges, aspirators are used. Such aspirators are typically made of metal or plastic, including a hook-shaped member, one end of which is inserted in the mouth and the other end of which is connected to a source of suction. This permits a continuous evacuation of the mucous and other solid debris from the patient's mouth.
While an aspirator significantly improves the aspiration procedures in dentistry, problems still remain. There are still a number of times when cotton rolls are used, which rolls must be frequently changed. The metal aspirator typically sits on the floor of a patient's mouth so that suction is not always gentle, the suction being applied directly to the tissues on the inside of the mouth. This is often uncomfortable for the patient. To prevent this discomfort, a chairside assistant is usually needed to handle the aspirator so as to move it from place to place to insure continuous absorption of the mucous and other solid debris in the patient's mouth.
While the above discussion has been limited to the field of dentistry, it will be obvious that similar problems exist in other fields of medicine where there are related irrigation procedures, such as in surgery. That is, in a variety of surgical procedures, aspirators or suction tubes are used to remove blood, mucous, and irrigation solutions. In these procedures, many of the same problems exist, i.e. the need for frequent changes of cotton rolls, the need for an assistant, and the problem of suction on loose tissue.